Apparel Decoration Highlights from PRINTING United Expo
If you weren’t at PRINTING United Expo last week, don’t fear! We’re headed to Orlando, Florida, in 2025. Until then, we’re going to revel in the buzz of this year’s event. Spanning 1 million square feet of show floor, it featured the latest equipment, blanks, and consumables from the industry’s top suppliers. And for the apparel decorating community, the Apparel Zone Powered by Apparelist Live! was the place to be for education and conversation.
This year’s reimagined Apparel Zone, set in a vintage Vegas theme, was made possible by a group of sponsors who went all-in on the space:
- American Print and Supply
- BELLA+CANVAS (Theatre sponsor)
- Crio
- Equipment Zone
- Hirsch Solutions
- Imaging Supplies Warehouse
- M&R
- SanMar
- STAHLS’
From live equipment demos running every 30 minutes and hour-long presentations and panel discussions in the Apparelist Live! Theatre to live podcasts and video shoots, the Apparel Zone was a haven for learning.
Media Day
Dozens of journalists from around the world met for a pre-show media preview day in the Las Vegas Convention Center. Key exhibitors offered a preview of what visitors would see and experience at their booths over the course of the three-day Expo.
The full-day event started with a presentation on the current state of the printing industry by Nathan Safran, VP of NAPCO Research, and Lisa Cross, principal analyst with NAPCO Research. It continued with exclusive product briefings by more than a dozen Expo exhibitors.
During lunch, PRINTING United executives briefed journalists on show highlights and trends. In the afternoon, editors got to meet personally with Expo exhibitors in a series of timed meetings during which they were able to ask questions directly for their audiences.
In addition to education sessions presented by sponsors, plenty of apparel printers took the Apparelist Live! stage.
Jed Seifert, co-founder of Stakes Manufacturing, led a meaningful panel discussion on the benefits of disability inclusion in the printing industry.
Seifert and a group of industry veterans recently co-authored a book titled, “INKclusivity: Company Benefits of Disability Inclusion & How-to Implementation Guide for the Print Industry.” Seifert and co-authors Vince Bartozzi, Stakes Manufacturing; Patrick Bardsley and Tim Howe, Spectrum Designs; and Marshall Atkinson, Atkinson Consulting debuted the book at the Expo and shared how hiring people with differing abilities can benefit a workforce.
The book will be available in both print and digital download formats in October, coinciding with National Disability Awareness Month.
Expo Launches (Printing Equipment and More)
Being the most comprehensive printing event of the year, suppliers and manufacturers put their best foot forward, and that often means debuting the latest equipment and product releases during the Expo.
Apparel Decorating Equipment
For the first time, Kornit Digital demonstrated its Kornit Apollo direct-to-garment (DTG) printing solution on the show floor. Machine highlights include the ability to print up to 400 impressions per hour, integrated printing and curing, and automation that only requires a single operator.
"We see that the screen printers today are struggling with, first of all, a very significant shortage of skilled labor,” says Moran Levy, Kornit’s director of business segments. “Once you find the right person, you have to invest six months to train them and then they’re at the risk of them leaving you at any time and you're back to square one.”
Additionally, she says job complexity is increasing, expected lead times are decreasing, and job run lengths are getting shorter, which is where the Apollo excels, allowing a print operation to take on those increasingly common jobs.
With the excitement around the Apollo, Kornit shared some customer announcements.
- T-Formation Inc. of Tallahassee, a screen printer for major international brands such as Adidas, PVH Corporate, and Champion, is transitioning large production volumes from traditional screen printing to a fully digital print process, utilizing Kornit Apollo.
- German-based music and event merchandise, branded fashion, and promotional apparel provider Print Palace Textildruck makes its first move to digital printing to streamline production operations with the adoption of the Kornit Apollo.
- Mad Engine Global adds an additional Kornit Apollo production line and multiple Atlas MAX PLUS systems to its lineup with additional investments planned for 2025.
It’s no exaggeration that DTF equipment could be seen at every turn in the South Hall, so it’s no surprise suppliers came with their latest innovations. Before a user and supplier panel titled, “The Impact of DTG & DTF Technology,” Epson and Equipment Zone held a mini press conference, announcing some new direct-to-film (DTF) technology.
Epson unveiled a roll-to-roll DTFilm print system that offers automation and allows for unattended printing, requires minimal weekly maintenance, and can handle a 35-inch print width. The printer is expected to ship in 2025.
Epson selected Equipment Zone as the exclusive preview partner for the launch. The Epson Roll-to-Roll DTFilm printer was demoed in conjunction with the EZ-JET PRO 32 Powder/Shaker/Dryer, creating a complementary combination of technologies.
The EZ-JET PRO 32 supports up to 32-inch-wide film with a high-capacity powder system and features a built-in, two-layer filtration system with replaceable filters. A media feed system ensures proper alignment and tension of the film. The powder/shaker/dryer is available now.
Also among those debuting DTF equipment and supplies at the Expo was Titan-Jet America, which showcased its foil/flock DTF and UV DTF printers. The U.S.-based distributor of TaoTech Digital Technology notes that the printers can do full-color prints plus foil, and the DTF printer does flock as well.
The company says the technologies have been in development for the last three years. They have worked diligently to advance this process to reportedly achieve over 25 washes with good wash fastness (cold wash, inside out, like fabrics, air dry).
Specifically, the DecoDTF Decal printer takes UV decal printing to a whole new level with the ability to produce full-color decals combined with foil.
ROQ also got in on the DTF fun, showcasing the ROQ FEED Automatic Transfer Applicator for the first time. This new technology automatically places transfers onto garments, solving labor issues and costs while maintaining accuracy. It integrates with the ROQ IMPRESS Automatic Transfer Machine for seamless workflow and features Y-axis movement adjustment, transfer placement memory, and a central suction cup for handling small transfers.
We also saw some new equipment in the world of embroidery. Melco International launched the Melco SUMMIT, boasting a stitch speed of 1,500 stitches per minute and a fast color change motor, reducing production time for complex, multi-colored designs.
Features include Acti-Feed automatic thread tensioning, laser alignment, and a built-in barcode scanner. The machine’s 10.1” full HD touchscreen gives operators complete control while ensuring accuracy and consistency across every project, Melco says.
Blank Apparel
On the apparel side, Belgium-based blank apparel manufacturer Stanley/Stella announces its U.S. debut — coming in January 2025.
The apparel maker shared a booth with Kornit Digital, previewing a small portion of its collection, which includes garments made from organic cotton and recycled materials. Kornit and Stanley/Stella have been in partnership in Europe since 2019, both striving toward eco-friendly advancements and solutions in T-shirt printing. So, it only made sense for Stanley/Stella to team up with the DTG printer manufacturer for this preview.
Lane Seven Apparel also had some new additions on display. The blank apparel maker recently announced the Nantucket Collection, a line of textured knit blanks. The collection includes two unisex styles: the Nantucket Pullover Hoodie and the Nantucket Crewneck Sweatshirt. Each piece offers that preppy, elevated look combined with comfort.
Lane Seven Apparel Nantucket crewneck sweatshirt
“The customer is ready for the next evolution in fashion,” Sales Director Milissa Gibson says. “The Nantucket Collection infuses everyday fleece staples with a refreshing touch of stylish elegance. We meticulously crafted a textured knit that’s plump, plush, durable, and ideal for printing. It’s truly the softest sweatshirt you’ll ever wear.”
Fun Happenings Outside the Expo
The excitement doesn’t end when the show closes. The Expo hosted numerous networking and AFTER HOURS events, bringing attendees and exhibitors together in a more relaxed atmosphere.
After day one of the Expo, INK KITCHEN in collaboration with the Alliance welcomed attendees for the opening night shindig “Blue Wave in the Desert,” which featured food trucks, conversation, and great music.
Special thanks to:
- Rick Roth for putting the kick-off event together
- Jerzees for supplying the event shirts
- Michelle Moxley for designing the print
- M&R for printing the T-shirts
- Naomi MacDougall for designing the poster
- ATMA/RH Solutions/Andy MacDougall for printing the posters
On the evening of day two, MADE LAB hosted a “Print’s Not Dead” after party at the Punk Rock Museum. It featured food, networking, and of course, a live punk rock performance. Some even left with some new ink (of the tattoo variety)!
MADE LAB hosted a "Print's Not Dead" party at the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas.
And with all the demos happening in the Apparel Zone, there were boxes and boxes of excess apparel. Apparelist worked with Zone sponsors to gather apparel and donate it to a local Vegas nonprofit called United Movement Organized Kindness (UMOK). UMOK takes in-kind donations and serves the needs of low-income families. Thank you to everyone who made this possible!
This is a very small look into all the excitement, bustle, and innovation that happens at PRINTING United Expo. If you didn’t get a chance to make it this year, we hope to see you in Orlando, Florida, Oct. 22-24, 2025. And stay tuned for tons of content that came out of this year's event!